Auto wrap angle/positioner for shape sensing roll

Abstract

The invention relates to an improvement in a metal strip rolling apparatus. The metal strip rolling apparatus consists of a rolling mill, a tension take-up reel to receive the metal strip passing through the mill, and a shape sensing roll mounted between the mill and the take-up reel. The shape sensing roll provides information for adjusting the mill for correction of the shape of the metal strip in the mill. The improvement consists of a closed loop system for automatically adjusting actual wrap angle of the metal strip on the shape sensing roll. The closed loop includes hydraulic lifts, disposed at either end of the shape sensing roll, for adjusting the position of both ends of the shape sensing roll simultaneously relative to the position of the take-up reel. A servo actuator controls the operation of the hydraulic lift. An electronic processor receives information from the shape sensing roll relating to its actual wrap angle, and it has in its memory a quantity indicative of a desired wrap angle. Thus, when actual wrap angle is different from desired wrap angle, the processor will actuate the servo to control the hydraulic lift to adjust the position of the shape sensing roll to eliminate the difference.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a metal strip rolling apparatus consisting of a rolling mill, a tension take-up reel to receive the metal strip passing through the mill, and a shape sensing roll mounted between the mill and the take-up reel, the shape sensing roll providing information for adjusting the mill for correction of the shape of the metal strip in the mill, the improvement comprising: means for automatically adjusting actual wrap angle of the metal strip on the shape sensing roll, said means for automatically adjusting com- prising:   hydraulic means, disposed at both ends of the shape sensing roll, for adjusting the position of both ends of the shape sensing roll simultaneously relative to the position of said take-up reel;   servo means for controlling the operation of said hydraulic means; and   processor means receiving information from said shape sensing roll relating to said actual wrap angle and including in its memory a quantity indicative of a desired wrap angle;   said shape sensing roll and said hydraulic lift and said servo means and said processor means comprising a closed loop:   whereby, when said actual wrap angle is different from said desired wrap angle, said processor will actuate said servo to control the hydraulic means to adjust the position of the shape sensing roll to eliminate said difference.   
     
     
       2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said servo means comprises a MOOG servo position actuator. 
     
     
       3. The improvement as defined in claim 1 and further comprising feedback means between said hydraulic lift and said servo to indicate the position of said hydraulic lift to said servo. 
     
     
       4. The improvement as defined in claim 1 and further comprising input means to said processor for inserting parameters of said metal strip and said metal strip rolling apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said information from said shape sensing roll comprises pressure of said metal strip on said shape sensing roll sensed by said shape sensing roll. 
     
     
       6. The improvement as defined in claim 5 wherein said shape sensing roll comprises a plurality of side-by-side sensing elements, said pressure comprising the average pressure of said elements. 
     
     
       7. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said hydraulic lift comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement. 
     
     
       8. In a metal strip rolling apparatus consisting of a rolling mill, a tension take-up reel to receive the metal strip passing through the mill, and a shape sensing roll mounted between the mill and the take-up reel, the shape sensing roll providing information for adjusting the mill for correction of the shape of the metal strip in the mill, the improvement comprising: means between said shape sensing roll and said take-up reel for maintaining a constant wrap angle of said metal strip on said shape sensing roll;   means for automatically adjusting actual wrap angle of the metal strip on the shape sensing roll, said means for automatically adjusting comprising:   hydraulic means, disposed at both ends of the shape sensing roll, for adjusting the position of both ends of the shape sensing roll simultaneously relative to the position of said take-up reel;   servo means for controlling the operation of said hydraulic means; and   processor means receiving information from said shape sensing roll relating to said actual wrap angle and including in its memory a quantity indicative of a desired wrap angle;   said shape sensing roll and said hydraulic lift and said servo means and said processor means comprising closed loop;   whereby, when said actual wrap angle is different from said desired wrap angle, said processor will actuate said servo to control the hydraulic means to adjust the position of the shape sensing roll to eliminate said difference.   
     
     
       9. The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for maintaining said constant angle comprises a hold-down roll. 
     
     
       10. The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said servo means comprises a MOOG servo position actuator. 
     
     
       11. The improvement as defined in claim 8 and further comprising feedback means between said hydraulic lift and said servo to indicate the position of said hydraulic lift to said servo. 
     
     
       12. The improvement as defined in claim 8 and further comprising input means to said processor for inserting parameters of said metal strip and said metal strip rolling apparatus. 
     
     
       13. The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said information from said shape sensing roll comprises pressure of said metal strip on said shape sensing roll sensed by said shape sensing roll. 
     
     
       14. The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said shape sensing roll comprises a plurality of side-by-side sensing elements, said pressure comprising the average pressure of said elements. 
     
     
       15. The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said hydraulic lift comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement.